What is the primary benefit of conducting market validation in the Lean Startup methodology?

Market validation lets a startup quickly test whether customers actually want the product, so the team can avoid building something nobody will buy. By surveying a small group or launching a minimal version, the founders learn real user needs and price points before investing heavily. This early feedback prevents costly mistakes, saves time, and keeps resources focused on ideas that have proven demand. For example, a coffee‑shop app that tests a prototype with a handful of users can discover that people prefer a subscription model, saving the company from launching an unpopular one‑time purchase system. Thus, the main advantage is that it reduces risk by confirming market fit early.